1.
Today started off great, with a lot of hustle-bustle. I like that, it's my style, it makes the day go by faster and the more there is to do the more I'm motivated to do. (Does that even make sense?) Before it even hit 8am, I had already dealt with Henry's diarrhea, washed out his pjs, gave him a bath, made breakfast for the kids, pulled out a sliver from Henry's foot and fixed a toy for Luke. It's the way the mornings usually go--I don't normally mind it. Though I could do without the poop.
2.
Then after breakfast, we went in the pouring rain to get more paint at the hardware store, pick up another flower for the skimpy garden, and drop off Anna's IEP at her possible preschool. Before I knew it, the morning was over and it was time for lunch. That is why I like busy days!
3.
We had a great Quiet Time, where I send the kids downstairs and put Henry down for a nap. It is my favorite time of day. I get all lazy and sometimes even take a nap. Most of the time, I try to use it for prayer--I won't lie when I say that it can be hard to get into the "mood" to pray the rosary but I regret it every time I choose to do something else. It's like I can't handle anything and fall apart over everything. But today I had a hard time settling down. I kept thinking of things I wanted to get done with Henry sleeping while I still had the chance. Still, I made myself lay down and say at least 3 decades of the rosary.
4.
Then I tackled the boys room! After all, I had made a special trip to the hardware store just so that I could get the paint in the pouring rain, right? I was very excited to get at least one more wall done. You would think I would get more than a wall done but with 4 kids downstairs with you interrupting you half the time, it's a wonder I get anything done at all! At one point, Anna was in the room chatting away on top of the bunkbed. I let her stay for a while, but her talking was distracting so I sent her outside with the other kids. Then another time, Max came marching in and opened the window to shout something out to the kids. I nearly had a heart attack; I had just painted the wall where the window was and here he was leaning against it. Thankfully, it dried for the most part, so he didn't get any paint on him. But you see what I mean now when I consider a wall painted a day is an accomplishment.
5.
Next on my list was to plant the huge flower in the garden. I have sort of a small flower theme going (not really planned that way) and Anna (who had come in with me in the flower store) talked me into picking a huge orchid. I'm not sure why I even agreed to it, because it looks pretty weird towering over the other flowers. Oh well. I did agree because she's so darn convincing. She was pretty in love with that orchid, and ever since we came home with, I see her outside petting it very lovingly.
I never did get around to planting that orchid because I looked outside and saw that the neighbor girl had stopped over. Cue ominous music.
6.
Oh, I have a thing about neighbor kids. I finally have come to the conclusion that I'm just not a "kid person". I know that sounds weird coming from someone who has 5 kids of her own, but you don't have kids like you have a hobby of collecting kids. In other words, I didn't have 5 kids because I "like" kids. I never set out to have a bunch of kids or to avoid a bunch of kids. God gave us 5 kids and that is why I have them. But people make the common mistake that because we have a lot of kids must mean that we just really like kids.
No. At least, not with me. And just to make it clear--I don't "not" like kids. I like them just fine, but I like them for little doses at a time. And preferably with their parents, where their parents can keep them in line and not me. I like the classic well-behaved kid who is a good influence on others. Yes, that's me. Sorry.
I don't like this side of me at all. I have really tried to change this part of me or at least talk myself into being more of a "kid person" but finally realized that this is just a part of me. And you know, I have known other nice people who also were not "kid people" and that never bothered me. Probably because I could relate.
My Dad, for instance, was not a "kid person". He loved us and we knew it, but he liked us better when we were teenagers and even more so when we were adults. That's just how he was. And now that I have five kids of my own and realize this is also a part of me, I have even more respect for him that even though he had a hard time relating to kids, he didn't let that stop him from having a large family.
7.
I have gotten way off the subject.
So I have to confess that I kind of hid when I saw that this little girl was over. I don't know why--it's not like she was there to play with me. I guess I was thinking, "Oh no, I have five kids already--one more makes six. I just can't do it!!!" And I'm not trying to rag on this girl or anything, but one of the reasons why I have a hard time with her is that she is the instigator of many fights and bad ideas. For instance, one day she decided to make a beach in our sink and dumped sand down the drain. Today she decided to be helpful and lock the bathroom door so she did and shut the door. We didn't have a key, and I didn't know how to jimmy the lock. This definitely wasn't helping her case with me at all.
Yet, I really tried to "put up" with her (for lack of a better way to put it) and the kids did too. I think she is lonely and I try to keep that in mind, but the entire time, my heart and stomach is tied up in knots, the snack requests get more frequent, and there is always some fight to settle. In the end, I always have to send her home but I try to wait at least one hour. And as she goes home, she always asks to come over later again. Today, it just wasn't in me to say yes. Thankfully, Lucy said it best for all of us: "Not today. You tired me out."
8.
I know there is not supposed to be number 8, but I forgot the most important thing of all--my Mom sold our house! The old house, that is. The interested buyers made an offer last week, and after some negotiating, my mom accepted their offer. This past Wednesday was the inspection--which is where the last buyers decided to walk away--but these buyers still want the house and now their is a SOLD sign on our house! Oh, it makes me so happy to know that our old happy home will once again be occupied. I guess I was waiting for closure and now I finally have it. I feel now like our new chapter in life has officially begun.
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